Chapter 297

"Did you... really stay in your room and sleep?"

Noticing the odd atmosphere, Rin quietly sidled up to Shinji and asked.

"Wasn't it you who woke me up?"

Shinji glanced at Rin and replied casually. Due to being mentally exhausted, Shinji had slept in, waking up even later than Rin, who usually had a hard time getting up.

Rin had banged on his door and dragged him out of bed.

"Good to know."

...

Today, Shinji didn't have any new projects with Ruby. Yesterday's events had left him in a "sage mode" that hadn't fully dissipated.

After staring at the blue sky, white clouds, and bright sun for two hours and contemplating the universe and various philosophical questions for another hour, Shinji finally emerged from his sage mode.

Rejoining the battle... no, the swimsuit party!

Along the way, Saber, after being teased by Lancer, became furious. With Shinji's permission, Saber and Lancer went off to duel. It wasn't until almost lunchtime that Saber dragged the half-dead Lancer back.

"Serves him right," commented a certain red-clad archer.

Seeing Saber sit down beside him, her face inexplicably flushed, Shinji noticed something and asked quietly.

"Saber, did you use your Noble Phantasm?"

There's no way she'd be this exhausted without using it!

"Yes... Lancer wanted to see how our Noble Phantasms would fare against each other."

Hearing Saber's explanation and seeing Lancer still alive, Shinji thought Lancer's bad luck must be exaggerated. He seemed pretty lucky to survive that!

Then, noticing Saber's subtle expression, Shinji's heart softened again.

Even though he hadn't fully recovered, he was a conscientious, caring, and compassionate Master who couldn't stand seeing his Servants go hungry.

Even if it meant exhausting himself, he would give her mana!

...

Hiding behind a rock, Rider watched as Shinji and a shrinking Saber emerged from behind another rock. She clenched her fists.

That Master had done it again! And so quickly! Beast!

She had suspected something was off when Saber looked so energetic despite having depleted her mana the day before and blushing whenever she saw Shinji.

She couldn't believe that beastly Master had gone for a second round, in broad daylight, no less!

"Shinji, why do you keep touching my armor while giving me mana?" Saber asked, puzzled. "Are you curious about its material?"

"Yes, that's it. And I must say, your armor is quite sturdy."

"Of course, it's the only one of its kind in this world! It's light and my proudest armor!"

...

After Shinji and Saber left, Rider finally moved, shattering a large rock with one punch!

But...

Shinji returned! With another woman—Bazett!

Rider was on the verge of exploding. She could only pray her Master wouldn't abandon her for someone new and kept reminding herself that her Master still loved her.

After all, he had given her an extra spirit origin, unlike the other Servants (Saber). Though that Servant was both small and adorable...

About an hour later, seeing Shinji's refreshed face, Rider couldn't help but recall their early days. Back then, their frequency... was just like this!

But as time went on, the frequency decreased, and she felt like she had fallen out of favor...

No! She couldn't let this happen!

She didn't want to be someone who only got leftovers. She wanted to sit at the main table, even if Sakura watched her day and night!

...

In the afternoon, under a beach umbrella, lying on a lounge chair.

This time, Shinji, wearing sunglasses, wasn't looking around but was seriously contemplating scientific questions like the size of the universe and what lies beyond it.

As his thoughts drifted from the Milky Way to Andromeda, his phone in his pocket buzzed twice, snapping him back to Earth.

Seeing a text with an outrageous picture, Shinji jumped up. Rider had gone too far!

How could she test her Master with something like this (a small belly band) while he was thinking! What era was this? What Master could resist such a test?

He needed to give her a proper lesson in modern thinking!

And one person might not be enough to correct her thinking, so he'd split into a shadow clone for the lesson!

Thus, as Rider waited by a hidden rock, expecting only one Shinji, she was stunned to see two identical Shinji's approach, summoned by her daring photo.

"You..."

"You didn't know I can clone myself?"

Shinji smiled slyly.

No need for a barrier.

Full engagement, no interruptions.

...

Shinji decided to seal the shadow clone technique for certain things in the future because... it wasn't as great as he imagined!

Though the feedback from the clone was there, it always felt... weird, like he was cuckolding himself.

It felt strange and uncomfortable.

Rider, who didn't mind the clones, was puzzled when Shinji suddenly dismissed them.

"Will you always let the clone play with me?"

Shinji, annoyed, retorted, "If I did that, it would mean you're truly out of favor. Is that what you want?"

Rider wasn't stupid. She quickly closed her upper mouth, understanding that such a situation meant she was still favored.

...

The two-day swimsuit event ended.

The relationship bars with various female characters changed, thanks to this cliché event.

While it seemed the biggest change was with Bazett, Shinji felt the most progress was with Saber.

Though it appeared to be a small step, it was a step from zero to one! With one, all possibilities opened up. Without one, it was mere fantasy.

As for Rider, she had reached a new phase. In R18 games, this would be mid to late-stage, but Rider's strong foundation suggested further progress.

Breaking through the R18 endings seemed possible.

Back home, Shinji watched Rider, who was being bossed around by Sakura. He confirmed Rider's future trajectory.

More gentlemanly than a gentleman!

Always striving for more gentlemanly behavior!

As long as he didn't cross the line of being cuckolded, there would be no problem.

As for Sakura...

Her progress was stuck at 99, just like Rin.

And it was the kind of 99 that couldn't be helped for now.

After all, he couldn't lie to them, saying he'd sacrifice everything for them and couldn't live without them.

A man who admits he's scum isn't truly scum.

Shinji firmly believed this.

...

The day after returning home, Bazett hurriedly left upon receiving a new mission from Shen Yin. She believed Shen Yin's business was Shinji's business.

No delay!

So, after bidding Shinji farewell, she left Fuyuki for the group's headquarters.

With Bazett gone, Rider felt slightly relieved, but not for long. Saber soon approached her.

Seeing Saber return the lollipops Rider had given her, Rider grew wary. Saber was challenging her!

"Rider, you're amazing for not caring about that (shame of mana transfer), but I'll overcome it too!"

This was indeed a challenge!

"You can't do it, Saber."

Rider's voice was soft but full of resolve.

Saber, riled up, retorted, "Don't underestimate me! It's just a matter of time before I adapt like you!"

"Give up, Saber. You'll never reach my level."

"You'll see."

In the basement, researching the application of the Second Magic, Ruby observed this exchange and shook her head.

How could these two naturally continue a conversation while talking about completely different things?

"Shinji-san, you..."

Seeing Shinji with surgical gloves and a full set of dissection tools, Ruby panicked.

"You're not planning to..."

"Calm down. It'll be over soon. Just think of it as taking a nap."

Ruby took a deep breath.

"No—!!"

"It's useless. No sound can escape here, nor can any magus observe it. Just let me study you a bit, and I'll let you go."

"Shinji-san! We had a great gentlemanly cooperation, didn't we? Let go of Ruby—!"

"I told you to be quiet. I'm just going to study the Second Magic a bit. Be good and don't move."

"Put down the scalpel first!"